of an idea of how to use it.
But first she would have to retrieve her clothes.
When Daniel came home some time later, she was gone. Terror swept through him as he searched all the rooms and the roof, finding the only trace of Georgina in a trunk of clothing that hadn't been there before. Had she left him? That was difficult to believe if she had gone to the trouble of recovering her clothes. And if not, had she been kidnapped again? The terror of that first time still lodged deep in his heart.
He didn't know where to begin to search. Should he start with the Mulloneys under the assumption they were responsible for her disappearance? Should he go to the Harrisons in hopes she had just gone visiting? As his gaze drifted to the window, his lips set in a tight line. He at least had a starting place.
Daniel knew he had found her the minute he opened the office door to Hanover Industries and heard the laughter. It took a moment before anyone turned to see him standing there, and he used the time to study the scene.
Georgina was modeling a lady's chemise on the outside of her gown, pointing to the lace and trimmings as she explained what she wanted done, occasionally striking a mocking pose as she pictured the garment with the neck opening tied too tight or the ribbons falling loose. Daniel was reminded vividly of how she had appeared with a similar chemise partially undone and nothing on under it. He was beginning to believe Evie was right. Men had only one thing on their minds.
Two of the seamstresses from the factory were laughing at her while correcting some of Georgina's suggestions with their working knowledge of what was possible with the machines that they had. The gray-haired secretary Daniel remembered from a previous visit was presiding over this with a notepad and pencil, but he wasn't certain how she managed to take notes from a conference like this one. Sheer exuberance seemed to be the name of the game here, but she wasn't complaining, and neither were the participants.
When Georgina climbed up on a crate to model a wrapper over the chemise, she finally saw him, and a smile lit her face. Daniel felt the warmth of that smile seep straight into his bones, but then she remembered herself, and she hastily disrobed and came forward to greet him properly.
"Daniel, what are you doing here? I thought you were out digging up dirty details on Mr. Egan."
"I was hungry, and I came looking for my wife." Daniel watched as the double entendre went right by Georgina's innocent little mind.
Her brow puckered with worry. "I hadn't realized it was that late." She threw a glance over her shoulder at the workers discreetly waiting out of hearing. "Could you wait just a little while longer? I want to get them started on these new style changes right away."
"I can wait, but Georgina"—he took her hand—"are you certain you ought to be doing this? Your father could come back at any minute. Or my father could come in and order the place shut down. Or he could send Egan over here to clean house. This isn't the safest place in the world for you to be."
Daniel had never noticed the obstinate set of Georgina's chin before. He marveled at it now as she spoke.
"These women won't have jobs if this place closes down. Even if there isn't any money, I still own part of this business, and until someone tells me otherwise, I'll do what I can to keep it going. Give me one of your guns and I'll shoot the first person who tries to stop me."
The thought of Georgina with a gun in her hand was not a pretty one, and Daniel shuddered. "No, ma'am. If there's any shooting needing to be done, I'll be the one doing it. You just send over to the office for me. I'll be right there if you need me."
She smiled vaguely, patted his arm, and returned to her fashion show. Daniel had no choice but to wander back to his office alone.
She didn't appear even after the lunch whistle blew. When it whistled again to indicate it was time for the workers to return to work, Daniel fixed himself a sandwich from bread and cheese and went back to working on his lead article. He had spent the better part of his life amusing himself. There was